Aching Heart
by Miss Artemis
Summary: She could only watch as she released the arrow from her grasp, she could only watch as her hands became filthy with their blood, she could only watch as their screams echoed throughout her heart, and she could only stand by as he controlled her...Menomaru
1. Chapter 1

Aching Heart

DISCLAIMER: Okay, if I owned InuYasha, I wouldn't be writing this sad story, all right? I just only reached a depression at the moment and this came to mind. (Shrugs) He belongs to Rumiko Takahashi (Damn) and I hope you enjoy!

NOTE: This is during the time of InuYasha the Movie 1: Affections Touching Across Time, so if you haven't seen it (American dub version anyway), you won't understand the events that have taken place; although I guess you can pick it up easily. --;;; Just ignore me.

Chapter 1: Bloody Hands

_Please…stop…make it stop…_She begged as tears coursed down her emotionless face, her red glazed eyes seem to glow in the rain that poured down on her and her prey: InuYasha.

**Kill him. **

She gritted her teeth as she took a leaf and transformed it in languid motions into a bow with an arrow as she knocked it into position. Her tears collected harder as she took aim at the gasping InuYasha that leaned against the Goshinboku, eyeing at her through his golden eyes through his drenched bangs.

_No…NO…_She answered back in angry and feared resolve as she pulled the arrow back, the sound making InuYasha's ears twitch at the sound as he looked at her fully with understanding and determined eyes. _Oh god, please no…I don't want to do this! I don't want to be like Kikyo! _She thought desperately as her puppet-like body took better position, taking the advantage of the winded InuYasha. Her miko robes that Keade-baba had given her stuck to her like second skin. Her long raven hair stuck to her back in waves.

**Kill him NOW.**

_Please…please don't make me do this! _She thought as she stretched the bow further.

**NOW! **

_INUYASHA!_

Kagome felt her body move again as she flew after the running hanyou who just narrowly escaped her arrow once again. It was like a game really, between him and Menomaru controlling her. She would chase after him, intent on killing him, he would just narrowly escape and the race would start all over again. She hated it. Watching through her own eyes of what was happening. She feared every time her body knocked up another arrow, it would eventually come in contact with its intended mark. Tears blurred her glazed eyes again, but it didn't really seem to matter as her 'master' easily controlled her through his own eyes rather through her as he played his dangerous tune.

_Please InuYasha, please just end this! I don't care if I die anymore, just please end this! This is worse than dying! _

"Die, InuYasha!" She heard her own voice and Menomaru's blended together cried out as she watched her right hand unleash some more glowing beams at his back.

"Kagome, snap out of it!"

_I wish I could, InuYasha…god knows I do…_

Her glazed eyes seemed unmoved when InuYasha used the tree as a leverage to jump off of and back her into it roughly, her hands clasped behind her back in a way where she couldn't even use her new powers to get out of. InuYasha panted harshly in her ear as he tried to rejuvenate his body while trying to get through to her,

"You're stronger than this, Kagome! I know you are! Don't give me all of this shit about you being too weak to stop him! I've seen you conquer over those stronger than this bastard was, you can do this! Try, Kagome…try…"

Inside her conscience, Kagome gasped quietly, her hands flying to cover her mouth. _InuYasha's…crying…_

"Please, Kagome…! Don't be like Kikyo, don't make time repeat itself, I don't know if I could take it! Please, try as hard as you can!" InuYasha stared at her red eyes that seemed to stare into space on the side of them. He squeezed his eyes tightly, the tears mixed with the rain slowly trailed down his face. _Kagome, you don't deserve this! Fight it! I know you can! Please…_He trembled as he held her tighter, tight enough to leave bruises unknowingly. _Don't let us end up like Kikyo and I did all those years ago…don't do this. _

"I-I-Inu…Y-Yasha…" His eyes flew open, turning her tightly to him. Her red eyes flickered back to brown continuously. InuYasha held her tightly to him, keeping their eyes locked. He stared deep into her, making Kagome believe he could actually see her, deep into her subconscious. The inner Kagome put her hands together in prayer. _Please InuYasha…he's coming back…I can feel him…run…RUN!_

"R-R-Run…a-a-away…"

A sickening sound echoed throughout the region. InuYasha let out a tortured scream. Kagome cried harder, putting her hands over her ears. _I'M SO SORRY INUYASHA!_ _I CAN'T STOP HIM! _InuYasha wrenched himself away from Kagome's body, grasping his stomach with both arms, his blood thickly coating over his deep, damp, red sleeves almost whining like an injured dog making Kagome cry even more. Her body's hands were covered deeply with rich red blood that seemed to give off a deadly aroma.

"Damn you, Menomaru!" InuYasha cursed out loud angrily for every one to hear him. Kagome looked at him, finally turning away from the darkness that surrounded her within her own mind. _Leave…LEAVE! INUYASHA, FOR ONCE, LEAVE ME BE!_

"L-l-leave…n-now…" InuYasha growled at her angrily and highly annoyed,

"How many times do I have to tell you, Kagome! I'm NOT LEAVING YOU BEHIND! As much as it may irritate you, I'm sticking to it! Live with it!"

The tears ran down more on her dangerously pale face. InuYasha shivered as the chilling wind whipped around them on the rocks they were on, on the dangerously fast river that was flowing. The Kagome in front of him looked completely unharmed by this, as if she her body was made for such cruel conditions. He gasped and started the chase again.

_I don't want this! NO! _

**Kill him, my little puppet. **

Kagome put her transparent hands over her ears and screamed. _NO! I'M NOBODY'S PUPPET! LEAVE ME ALONE! I **WON'T **KILL INUYASHA! I WON'T LET YOU!_

The voice that of Menomaru's, seemed to chuckle at her in amusement.

**I'd just like to see you try, mortal.**

Kagome winced as he blew again, the shrill whistle echoing throughout her head; it seemed as if her body was now even unable to give any warnings. _No! InuYasha! Look out!_

InuYasha's cries echoed again as she tackled him on his back. Her glowing fingers singeing through the fire rat robes and into his skin; he squirmed and struggled to get her off; a sadistic grin appeared on her face as Menomaru and her voice blended together again as she bent over tauntingly to his ear and whispered,

"So, Inu_Yasha_, how does it feel to have your lover betray you again? Brings up painful memories, doesn't it?"

"Shut up! Kagome didn't betray me! It's you doing this, you bastard!"

"Oh really, InuYasha? Than how come she hasn't stopped me yet?"

"She's just not powerful yet to get over your spell!"

"Really, I thought you just told her that she was far stronger than me? Could have fooled me…"

InuYasha growled angrily before crying out as Kagome's finger nails dug deeper into his skin.

"GET OFF!"

Angrily, InuYasha took a swipe at Kagome. Not a word or scream echoed out of Kagome when InuYasha's claws tore through her of her miko robes of her abdomen, blood easily seeping through the white garment. InuYasha's eyes widened in horror at the blood on his claws and at Kagome's injury,

"K-Kagome! I'm sorry!"

_InuYasha! Just please, get out of here!_

Instead, Menomaru started laughing through her, causing an awful feeling to slither up both Kagome and InuYasha's spine from the maliciousness laced with his and her own voice,

"InuYasha, you even attack your lover, how easily you can be turned. How pathetic. I thought you'd be much of a challenge!"

"SHUT UP!"

**Kill him, now! **

_NO!_

Kagome's finger tips glowed, not a bright yellow this time, but rather a dark blue as she held her palm face up at InuYasha's direction before it shot out at him. _P-Please…n-no…_

"Do you feel the pain, InuYasha? When your lover betrays you? Stabbing you in the back? Just like Kikyo."

"She's not betraying me!"

**KILL HIM NOW!**

_INUYASHA!_

Kagome screamed as she felt excruciating pain over come her like an overload of dark magic was over coating her.

InuYasha's eyes widened as Kagome shot him square in the chest, effectively knocking him over the rock he was standing on. _Ka…gome…_

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! INUYASHA!"

Kagome looked around herself, coughing with blood dripping from the corner of her mouth, her injuries finally coming to her. She looked around frantically on the boulder she was on, searching blindly for any sign of red.

"InuYasha! InuYasha, InuYasha! Please come up! Please, I'm so sorry!" She cried in anguish, tears mixed with spray from the river on her soaking wet face.

"No…." She stared down at her hands, her bloody hands and cried.

_I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough, InuYasha…I'm so sorry._

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Hey everyone! Please review and tell me what you think! (I thought it was crappy for a first chapter, but I can rectify that if I get reviews! Hint hint wink wink) Hope you enjoyed!

Miss Artemis


	2. Chapter 2

Aching Heart

DISCLAIMER: Nope, don't own him, never will. It's a fantasy I'll leave in, but again, it's only a fantasy. He belongs to Rumiko Takahashi! Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Never Had a Choice

"**_Please, I beg you, stop!"_**

"_**Please let my son and daughter go, they're innocent children!"**_

_**(Screams)**_

_**She looked around herself, her eyes wide in fear and confusion as she looked at herself and the destruction of the village. Blood practically bathed her and her miko clothing to an almost pure red outfit, much like InuYasha's…Her eyes hardened with more tears coursing down her face, the blood heavily and slowly sliding down and gleaming on her hands. The stench itself made her insides squirm. Falling to her knees, she hugged herself, her long hair sticking to her from the blood,**_

"_**Please forgive me!" Her cry was heard by death ears. Covering her face with her hands, she thought:**_

_What have I done…?_

-

Kagome shot up like a bullet from her position on her branch, her heart beating erratically as if being pulled out of her chest in a cold sweat. Her eyes wide with terror and fright, she gazed around confused as the tree's large and dense canopy above her was dense enough to keep her reasonably dry. Weary, she looked around her again, gulping at the large amount of height underneath her.

"How…did I get here?" Kagome tried to swallow down the vile rising up her throat as the dry stench of blood wreaked from her. Trembling, she slowly but surely dragged herself down from the tree and almost collapsed right on the spot when she got on her feet against solid ground; she was almost drenched immediately from the pouring rain.

She absently scrubbed at herself in vain with her bare hands; her white garment will forever be stained with all the blood of various people and victims. Eyes out of focus, she continued to run her fingers through her hair to get the blood out. _It's been four years already…_She thought absently as she walked on in the open along the dirt road, her stained socks and sandals now getting dirty with mud. The villagers or travelers passed her without a spare glance, but that was alright with her, her 'master' made sure to have her kill anyone she got close to. Her eyes watered almost lazily as she walked on, her face in a position that described nothing but pure helplessness. _Helios…_

He was the only man; the only one that she had ever met that she knew had surpassed InuYasha's beauty. Okay, maybe he wasn't considered 'beautiful', more like handsome. He had a tall frame of six foot one, towering over her 5'8" figure and with a chiseled chest, broad shoulders, a six pack, and lean muscles that could be seen with his armor and haori and hakamas, you could tell he was the kind of person to work out and be active whenever possible. He had bronze skin that would be compared to that of the stone, it shined with such a brilliance against the sun that it made Kagome think of it as dark honey. He had long deep crimson hair to his waist, tied tightly with a leather strap at the nape of his neck. His long side bangs started out crimson before trailing to orange and eventually to yellow, reaching to his chest. He had piercing violet eyes that it took Kagome's breath away, reminding her of a deep amethyst stone that her mother gave her for a present on her fourteenth birthday. He wore what look like eagle feathers on his pointy ears. The sign of a golden sun could be plainly seen on his forehead, signaling him as the Taiyoukai, or rather Taiyoukai in training of the East, the land of the rising sun.

She could still hardly believe how she had actually been able to fall in love with somebody else other than InuYasha. His charming attitude, his joking implications, his twinkling eyes, the way he would jokingly wink at her when they traveled together for five months after the first two years of her enslavement. He would always ask to know something of her: what was her favorite flower? What season did she prefer the most? What was her favorite color? What did she eat? What kind of a miko was she? Did she have any close relationships with anyone? (She's still flattered to this day of how disgruntled he looked when she had applied that she some in the past.) What was her family like? Where did she live? Did she love him like he loved her?

That one, she decided, was the one that had taken her startled.

The even mere passing implication of somebody ever loving her always gave her such an incontrollable fright that she always found herself having panic attacks. Who could love somebody like her, a person who was rumored to be the reincarnation of the powerful Kikyo, the guardian of the Shikon no Tama to easily being sedated and weakened into a mind controlled slave at random that killed people because her master was amused of it? She still hadn't found the answer.

Kagome absentmindedly traced her pale lips as she stopped for a moment, her eyes still streaming of tears taken in a dreamy look, a light blush seemed to just be lightly patted against her cheeks.

_**Kagome watched with wide eyes as Helios leaned down to her, only an inch away from her face. The firelight from the bon fire made him look so erotic that she had fleetingly believe that he was a fire nymph, an illusion that she had cooked up. He must have seen the doubt flicker through her eyes for he had gently clasped her chin with his soft bronze but deadly dangerous claws, she nearly lost herself within his violent purple eyes that seem draw her in, his deep and masculine voice ringing within her head,**_

"_**Don't ever doubt yourself, never. You have power, Kagome, don't you ever doubt yourself. Someone as pure and innocent as you shouldn't have such burdens." Tears slowly built up in her eyes as his other hand with his thumb stroked her smooth cheek,**_

"_**How can you be so sure? I'm not at all innocent." He stared intently at her.**_

"_**I know because of your actions. You help those who are in need even if it isn't in your benefit, you are the only miko I have known of to never turn away a youkai who was in need, even if it meant that it may turn against you when recovered, there aren't many souls out there in this world that have that much compassion, Kagome." Kagome unknowingly to herself, leaned into his slightly rough hands, her tears glistening,**_

"_**I've done things, Helios…things I wish I had never done, sometimes I think the only reason I was born was to make people suffer. I'm so tired of it, Helios…" She whimpered as he held her tightly to his chest, his armor had been taken off after taking care of a demon before it was time to find a place suitable for camp. Her tears soaking into his white and yellow haori, her quivering figure being crushed against a hard masculine body.**_

"_**Sometimes I just want to end it all…I want the pain to stop…" Kagome looked up as he brought her face off, he whispered quietly,**_

"_**Than allow me to take it away…"**_

_**Her eyes widened when she felt his lips on her own, at first, she struggled to get out of his grasp. He never gave her the chance to get away, her heart caving in; she finally let the tears go and kissed back. **Oh Helios…you're too good for me…_

Kagome let her hand fall limply to the side, her tears streaming down her face mixed with the rain. Looking up, she didn't flinch as the raindrops pelted against her cheeks and forehead. _I'm never strong enough…and I'll never will be…_

"_**Please Helios, run!" Helios growled frustrated at the crying Kagome as her arms very shakily tried to keep target on him, her violet eyes narrowed at her crying red glazed eyes, her face contorted with pain and sadness that it was almost wrong for such a happy beaming face to make it.**_

"**_I told you many times before, Kagome! I'm not leaving you alone! I can't let that bastard control you any more! Never!"_**

"_**P-P-Please…" She begged as she tightened the bow back, her body shaking as she tried to fight off Menomaru's spell. "I don't want to kill anymore, please make it stop, Helios…I can't stop…" **_

"_**You have to fight back, Kagome!" He cried out as he dodged the badly targeted arrow, the large oak tree collapsing when the purifying arrow went straight through its layers and out to the other side. **_

"_**You can't allow him to do this to you, Kagome! You told me that you weren't ever innocent, you're wrong! He's making you do these things, not you! If you had the choice, you wouldn't have done the things you've done! I know you long enough to know that!"**_

Kagome tripped clumsily over the large root as she passed one of the trees when she had entered the forest. Grunting, she fell to her knees and palms, the water trickling down her chin as the rain continued its assault against her frail body.

"_**Kagome, you've got to wake up!" Helios rammed her against the large valley wall, keeping her hands above her head as he kept her crushed with his body, his eyes staring deeply and defiantly into her flickering eyes.**_

"_**Fight it Kagome, you're strong. Don't let him control you." **_

She sat among the tip of the cliff slumped over after finally stumbling through the vast forest. Her damp hair fell over her shoulder, partially sticking to her face. Her tears continued to fall.

"_**I d-don't have a choice…" Kagome uttered completely helpless as she out held her hand of glowing blue energy. Helios seemed to stare pass the orb to her, his eyes sad and loving.**_

"_**You always had a choice Kagome, and you still do, you only have to come to terms with it." Kagome felt the high pitched whistle appear in her mind again, causing her flickering brown-red orbs to turn completely red.**_

_HELIOS! NO!_

"That's where you're wrong, Helios…" She whispered broken heartedly, her shoulders sagging, if possible, lower,

"I never had a choice."

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Second chapter of Aching Heart! Thanks you guys for reviewing!

-Miss Artemis


	3. Chapter 3

Aching Heart

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own InuYasha, he belongs to Rumiko Takahashi! Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Just a Little Hope

Kagome sat silently on the edge of the cliff near the mountains that separated the Western Lands and the Northern Lands – her next destination. She would continue to travel as planned, even though the thought of the 'killing rages' still lingered in her mind. _I have no where to go; if I go back home, Menomaru will try to find a way for me to bring him over the well, and he'll kill my family. _Tears pricked her eyes, but she sharply shook her head to rid of the oncoming images of what may be.

"I must keep my head clear…" She whispered softly, her empty eyes drifting over the luscious hills of growing crops and the thick forest tops; the magnificent mountains near her were gorgeous. She allowed herself to close her eyes for a few lingering moments, wanting to keep the beautiful nature scenery in her mind for as long as she remained on the Earth.

She had always wondered, could there have been a way to get out of Menomaru's captive control? Even though he still wasn't in full reign after being sealed away thanks to InuYasha's last attempts, it didn't stop the moth prince to control her with his completely active mind. _What would InuYasha do? _A fond smile cast across her face,

"He'd probably just say 'Let's kill him and solve the problem'." And before she could stop herself, her lively laughter spilled from her lips, almost like water coming from a fountain like those in Tokyo Central Park. Her melodious laughter rang through the near mountains, causing her laughter to travel for miles. Even a few workers below her feet looked up to seek the source of such a laugh. A few children laughed, feeling the laughter contagious.

Now chuckling, she laid down on her back against the warm green grass while allowing her legs to kick lazily in the open air. _Oh, InuYasha…I wonder how long it'll take for Kikyo to find out what happen and seek me out…_Her eyes lowered in the beautiful glow that once overtook her dead-like eyes. A small smirk curled on her pale face,

"Hm…maybe I could be able to get Kikyo to kill me when Menomaru isn't active?" She stopped and frowned before getting up, not even bothering to wipe off the dirt and many blades of grass that littered her dirty miko clothing. Shaking her head, she easily tossed her quiver of arrows and bow on her right shoulder and started walking away.

"Impossible…" She whispered, her eyes darkening. _There isn't any possible way to be free from Menomaru's control at all. _

-

"**Kill them."**

_No…I don't want to do this…I don't want to kill anymore…_

"**I wish to hear their cries of pain and sorrow, kill them!"**

_P-Please…stop the screams…I can't bare it…_

"**KILL THEM." **

Kagome's emotionless eyes filtered with water as new blood dripped slowly and sickeningly from her hand at her side; dabs of blood surrounded her face and slicked her hair back to look that as if she just walked out of a swimming pool.

The woman with long black hair and orbs of deepest amethyst stared up at her with sympathy…a fellow miko. Kagome felt her heart clench terribly as the woman gave a pitying smile and slowly bowed her head.

_No…d-don't bow your head to me…Kill me, I know you can…_

The inner Kagome turned around sharply as her outer body did her master's bidding, the disgusting sound of the woman's head being sliced off made Kagome give out a painful scream.

_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

Kagome blinked her eyes, her deep red eyes fading into brown. She gritted her teeth as hot, fat tears built up in her eyes. Her fists clenching, very much mindful off the sickening sound the blood made at such a motion. She turned around sharply, her black hair whipping around her sharply; her shoulders slightly shook.

"I'm…I'm so sorry…"

She ran as hard as she could away from the village that was long gone into flames; the rain seemed to not be able to touch the licking flames that reached the sky. Gasping through her teeth, she ran into the forest as long as she could as she tried to ignore the newly formed scratches that marred her pale skin as she ran through bushes and never dodging the tree branches that loomed at her. Her eye twitched slightly as a long bloody scratch marred only an inch below her right eye.

She cried out softly as her legs gave out from beneath her. Her chest ballooning erratically that it was a miracle that her heart didn't go under a heart attack at the moment. She bent over till her forehead grazed the wet grass; her ragged breathing caused the tufts of grass to move back and forth in spite of the light rain. Her fingernails dug deeply into the ground.

_I don't care what happens anymore…_She sobbed loudly, even though she knew they couldn't be heard. _I just want this to end. The killing…the staying away…the cries of women, children, and men…please, make it go away God. If you're up there, please listen to me and end my life now…_

"Ningen." Kagome's eyes slowly opened, revealing eyes that were hallow and dead to the world. Her eyes slowly filled with tears as she whispered silently, her grip tightening even more on the ground,

"Lord…Sesshomaru. W-What brings you here?"

-

Sesshomaru stared at the site before him with narrowed eyes. Was it that the human village was desolated? Truthfully, he didn't really give a damn what happened to the ningens; he was never truly fond of them and their stench. The true reason was that somebody had been able to trespass on his lands. Eyes narrowing even more, he instructed Jaken to take Rin back to camp which was not too far away from where the village was.

Walking forward, Sesshomaru looked left and right with keen, cat-like ember eyes. The huts were completely on fire, there would be no way to salvage them (Not that he truthfully cared.). Bodies littered the place, gruesome gashes and corruptions could be clearly seen on their bodies. _A demon must have come upon this village. This Sesshomaru will not be overcome by a demon controlled by its rage; it is a mockery really, for this Sesshomaru to actually allow one in the Western Lands without much effort._

Coming to the end of the village, Sesshomaru stared down unfeelingly at the beheaded corpse of the village miko. Raising his head towards the sky, he gave a delicate sniff.

_Mixed blood. _

He ran out of the village and into the forest in a flash of silver light, his ember eyes set aglow. He easily without much effort dodged and glided among the trees, using the trunks as a leverage when seeing the heavy trudges the culprit left behind. _The killer is quite sloppy. Do not tell this Sesshomaru has to deal with an amateur. _

The scene he came upon surprised him, the third time in his nine hundred years of life.

_InuYasha's bitch; what is this ningen doing in my lands?_

He wrinkled his nose as a non-too pleasing stench reached his sensitive nose. _Blood…_He narrowed his eyes as he watched her to continue to sob to herself; her small, but lithe and agile form shake from the force of her sobs. Her miko garb, it was completely drench in red and was inexplicably filthy. Her skin from what he could see was marred with scars, small gashes, and bruises; her long black hair was slick and stuck to her back.

_Was this puny woman-child the reason why the ningen village was destroyed? _

He decided to get the information from her.

"Ningen."

He watched with keen as she slowly lifted her head…somewhat as her shoulders were still hunched over. Her soft and tired voice spoke so low that his youkai ears strained to hear her,

"Lord…Sesshomaru. W-What brings you here?" He quirked an eyebrow as he continued to face her back. What, no cries for InuYasha? No indecent clothing? None of her lackey friends tagging along with her? No standing up and declaring her love for InuYasha (Even though she doesn't say it literally out loud)? Such a strange ningen this one is.

"Unless you can tell this Sesshomaru how you were able to trespass on his lands."

Kagome swallowed hard; willing her dry throat to work through her dry lips.

"I am…terribly sorry, milord. I d-didn't have any recollection of t-trespassing on your l-lands. Please f-forgive me."

Well…it was partially the truth. She wasn't EXACTLY knowing where Menomaru was directing her, all she could see was blurring figures as he took control of her powers once again. Maybe sitting along the border of the Western and Northern lands was a BAD idea after all. She grunted softly as she was able to sit herself up straightly, her muscles groaning in protest. _I feel so dehydrated and drained…I can barely move my fingers. _She desperately sucked in much of the cool damp, yet somewhat humid air into her lips. She would give up the last drop of humanity that she had left in her if she could be able to go to a stream and drink to her heart's content.

"Hm." He wasn't entirely convinced with her answer. _She is hiding something. _The slight increased of her blood pumping was enough to tell the difference from lying and telling the truth. _She reeks of dead bodies and blood of ningen and youkai…and, something else. _

"And the hanyou is not at your side; he must be much more of a fool than I granted him to be. Letting his bitch loose and not yet marked is considered poor treatment of wenches."

Kagome winced harshly at his cold words, her right hand immediately clutching the cloth above her heart in a death grip. She felt her heart tighten inconsiderably tight. _Please…not now!_

"I-InuYasha is…" She bit her lip uneasily. "…busy at the moment t-trying to locate Naraku." Sesshomaru smirked at her, already finding a flaw at her attempt of maneuvering around the indicated topic.

"If what you said is true, human…" Sesshomaru trailed off, loving the distinct smell of fear, slight anger, and anticipation that was rolling off of the young woman, now no longer child's body in waves. "Than why is that you are not with him, the taijiya, the monk, the neko-tama, and the kitsune child that you travel with? Surely if you were to pinpoint Naraku, you and your pathetic little group would travel head first without any strategy. You did, after all the times the half-breed had so boldly and loudly said many times that you had a responsibility considering of the Shikon no Tama."

Kagome silently cursed under her breath at him, causing Sesshomaru's ember eyes to flicker with amusement. She looked up at him with narrowed hollowed eyes, strands of her blood-soaked hair traveled down, slightly hiding away her pale oval face,

"Things have changed, Sesshomaru," He smirked to himself when she dropped the polite formalities. _Knew she would not last long. _"It's all ready been around four to five years since the last time we've seen you and the incident with Sounga. Inu…" She closed her eyes tightly as she sharply turned her head away from Sesshomaru's piercing gaze, tears lazily dominating her tired and exhausted eyes again for the millionth time over the time span of four years. "…Yasha, he chose to have Kikyo seek out the shards instead of me."

She could almost imagine the Taiyoukai raising a perfect silver eyebrow.

"So my impudent half-brother chose the dead over the living."

Kagome winced again at his words, guilt of her false words weighing down on her already guilt-filled heart. Her words though, weren't all false. She knew, deep down, that InuYasha had and would always love Kikyo before her…no matter what. She could see the signs as clear as day; the way he would go quiet in thought, he would be so overprotective of her like he was of herself, and the way he would look at Kikyo with those loving eyes while when he looked at her…she knew he could have wished she had the more defined and China doll-like features of Kikyo, the same posture, and same slick dark brown hair. Not a girl with unruly and bouncy black hair with natural blue highlights, live brown eyes, or her more slim and agile form compared to Kikyo's curvaceous body and soft skin rather her own work-worn hands from fighting.

Sesshomaru watched with disinterest as she quickly looked away from him, in vain attempt to hide her upcoming tears. _Foolish brother, you choose a woman who smells of dirt, graveyard soil, and bones, how foolish indeed. _

"In other wards, you are nothing but a useless ningen who wears indecent clothing and has no knowledge of the customs of youkai or human. So useless." Kagome's eyes narrowed at the ground at her knees, her eyes dangerously darkening. Her grip on her clothing clenched even tighter, so much that her knuckles grew whiter. Her eyes widened yet stayed narrowed as realization hit her full force. _He's…he's provoking me! I have to stop him before Menomaru calls. _

"Please, s-stop it!" Sesshomaru smirked at her as he stopped before her. She stared through narrowed eyes at his boot-covered feet. _I didn't know that they even had knowledge to make boots yet…_She though fleetingly before scolding herself. _You need to stop him before Menomaru's magic takes over, focus girl! _

"Or what pray tell, filthy _ningen_?" Sesshomaru mocked openly, unable to resist the refreshing feeling of a fight. He knew the miko had dangerous powers, even if half-untrained at that; InuYasha being an idiot such as himself could not have been possible to detect it.

"Are you going to cry for my filthy half-breed brother like the helpless wench that you are? I wouldn't have expected less."

Kagome let out a hiss of pain as the silent, but piercing sound of a flute echoed within her mind. She raised her left hand shakily and placed it at the place of her forehead, her fingers weaving into her obsidian locks. Her eyes glowed red before flickering to brown before redoing the pattern again.

"N-No…" She was able to gasp out, her shoulders hunching again as she bent over from the aching and throbbing pain hitting against her chest and abdomen.

"Y-You don't…u-understand…Please, s-stop…b-before he…" She closed her eyes as the sound became much more harsh, signaling he was coming again. She could already feel the affects of numbness taking over her body, almost like a sedative.

"So weak, useless…it is of no wonder that the hanyou picked the dead miko over you, at least she has had her training and full control over her powers." Kagome gritted her teeth as his words continued to push against her will.

"S-Sesshomaru…" She half-growled out; he smirked at her as he watched her struggle with her control.

"And untamed as well; it is a wonder that InuYasha hadn't just used you and left you the moment you had set him free."

_He's wrong, InuYasha is nothing like that! InuYasha loves me enough to not do that!_

"After all," Sesshomaru drawled on as he relished in her scent of sadness and sorrow,

"You are nothing, but a copy…a shadow…a reincarnation born without her own soul."

Kagome felt his voice echo within her mind, her eyes seeping into an enraged crimson red.

"**Kill him."**

_No. I won't kill him, Rin needs him still; the Western Lands need him. He's a vital enemy against Naraku; I WON'T KILL HIM._

"**He insulted you and InuYasha, kill him and show him that his words will be his own undoing." **

_N-no, I won't do anything you say._ Kagome felt his words become harsher.

"**KILL HIM NOW!"**

"S-Sesshomaru…" She gasped out, hunching over completely. Sesshomaru looked at her with narrowed eyes. _Her aura is changing…its becoming tainted, but how? _He looked around him out of the corner of his eyes; the forest had become eerily quiet. He turned back to the woman before him.

"R-Run."

_Run? What is this wench babbling about? Like this Sesshomaru would be a coward, and does she truly think that she will beat this Sesshomaru?_

He only had mere seconds to avoid the hand with glowing purification fingers.

Sesshomaru flipped elegantly and landed on his feet. Kagome was hunched on the balls of her feet, her left knee slightly brushing the ground from her crouched position. Her right hand was facing the side outstretched. He looked at her. _She's almost as quick as a demon. _He watched unperturbed as she sprang at him in a familiar style that seemed to keep sparking within his mind as she twirled in the air before striking at him, her glowing pink fingers changing to a bright yellow similar to his youkai whip. _Where have I seen that style before, this Sesshomaru wonders._

He simply grabbed her wrist and roughly threw her behind him; the loud crack of breaking wood could be heard, echoing among the forest that stretched for thousands of feet. He watched her as she slumped in her imprint of the wood, he scoffed. _She couldn't have been the one who killed the village, but she did trespass. _Turning around with his hair swaying, he started walking back to the campsite.

He took a quick hiss of pain that was barely noticeable. Kagome chuckled darkly in his ear, causing his senses to whirl. _Her scent, it's no longer hers, but how is this possible? _

"Really, _Lord _Sesshomaru." She taunted in his ears, reveling in seeing his beautiful features contort in pain, even though the slightest, as her glowing fingers grew longer, reaching even further into his back. Kagome's body was bleeding terribly from the rough bark of the tree; her whole back side of her body was torn somewhat at points from when she wrenched herself from the tree's clutches. Her eyes bled darker as she watched the dark blood slowly seep out of the fine, silk cloth and over her hands as she slowly shifted them, as if she had felt uncomfortable and wished for a better, more comfortable input.

"Who would have thought that the great _Lord _Sesshomaru would turn his back on a miko, not even taking a smell to see if she was dead, and further more getting taken down from behind – you really are going soft." Sesshomaru growled warningly at her.

It happened so quick that Menomaru couldn't have made a command to get her out of his grasp as Sesshomaru wrenched himself from Kagome's hands and flipping into the air to land behind her before kicking her in the back, causing her to fall to her knees. But strangely, he kept his foot in her back as he grabbed her wrists and pulled back, causing her to hiss in pain as he stretched her limbs. His eyes were tinted pink with slowly suppressed rage.

"You are not the human miko, state your name, demon!"

Kagome chuckled again, before wincing as he twisted her hand, straining her back.

"It's been a long time since we've met, Sesshomaru." Sesshomaru didn't get to retort as he found himself flying backwards, his chest stinging hot with purification. Sesshomaru growled enraged as his body crashed through at least two trees before righting himself. The moment his foot made contact with the ground, he pounced forward, gliding at inhuman speed, looking again like a white blur.

"You will not play with this Sesshomaru!"

Kagome only went into a defensive stance before meeting him, powers at the ready. Their movements were wild and precise with unhidden strength. Kagome swiped him off of his feet with a swift low kick; Sesshomaru returned the favor by giving her a good punch at her jaw. Kagome's eyes seemed out of focus as her head reeled to the side, making a sickening crack of bones that could be heard. Sesshomaru grunted as he landed hard on the ground.

_Please…PLEASE, stop this! _Kagome watched in disbelief inside of her as her body continued to give and receive hard blows. _I don't wish to do this anymore!_

"SESSHOMARU-SAMA!"

"LORD SESSHOMARU!"

Kagome's red eyes widened, her eyes flickering, fear seeping within her; she could practically feel Menomaru stop in her mind and peer at the intruders. _No! Leave them alone!_

"K-Kagome-nee-chan? Is that you?" Kagome took a hesitant step back as the 12 year old Rin looked up towards her with tear-filled eyes.

"FILTHY NINGEN! How dare you think you can beat my lord, the ruler of the Western Lands! You are more foolish than ever before!"

Sesshomaru watched her with penetrating eyes as she seemed to wince, her feet clumsily stepping back. _That cannot be the human miko that InuYasha travels with. _

"S-Sesshomaru…" He looked at her, claws flexed at the ready, waiting for her to attack. The next thing she said caused him to look shock for a fraction of a second,

"Get…R-Rin…out of…h-here, before h-he…comes b-back…"

"**You will kill the girl. If you kill her, the Taiyoukai before you will regret his words of insult."**

_I don't care for what he said; his words are true never-less. I won't kill Rin! I won't let you, killing innocent children was bad enough, but I won't stand by and let you MAKE ME HURT HER! _

He seemed to chuckle darkly at her, causing Kagome to shiver as a chilling sensation tingled her bones to the very core.

"**So naïve and innocent, even after all those long years of killing you still don't understand, you are more foolish than I took you for. Who ever said of hurting? I said KILL her."**

Kagome gasped in horror, unconsciously doing it outwardly, causing the audience before her to look at her; Rin with horror and worry; Jaken without much interest other than alarm; and Sesshomaru with curiosity – the one thing they had in mind was confusion.

_NO! I WON'T!_

"GET HER OUT OF HERE!" Rin jumped, startled as Jaken made a loud startled squawking sound. Sesshomaru gritted his teeth. _Something isn't right, her scent is changing again. _

"You want to know something, Sesshomaru?" Her voice seemed layered again since the time they met this night. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at her as her arms stopped struggling and hung loosely at her sides, her head bent over causing her bangs to cover her eyes. _That voice, it's so familiar…_

"It is always pleasing and…entertaining to see and hear, even feel this miko cry and scream in pain as she kills humans and youkai in cold blood. It truly is." Rin looked ready to go into tears any moment.

"Sesshomaru-sama, what is wrong with Kagome-nee-chan?" Sesshomaru didn't answer, instead, peered harder at Kagome's form.

"It's truly amazing…mind control, you should try it, Sesshomaru." Sesshomaru sneered at her in disgust,

"This Sesshomaru is no coward to let someone do his job for him. You did not answer this Sesshomaru's question."

Kagome chuckled,

"Its amazing how you don't remember my scent and voice, you truly have softened by your human ward."

Rin, with hot tears building in her wide brown eyes, tentatively whispered,

"K-Kagome-nee-chan…are you all right?" Rin gave a cry and ran behind the alarm-looking Jaken with his staff up and ready, the moment Kagome threw her head back and started laughing, her malicious laugh echoing louder. Sesshomaru hissed at her,

"Squash that hideous noise before I make you, demon." Kagome though, continued to chuckle, highly amused. When lowering her head, Rin gave another cry of shock and horror the moment she saw Kagome's cat-like, ruby-red eyes; she almost looked like a youkai submitting to its youkai inner beast.

"Kagome…ningen child, she is now long gone. By the time she is able to wake up; she will have the glorious morning image of you lying in a pool of blood with her hands dirty with your blood." Rin hid behind Jaken,

"Please make him stop, Jaken-sama!" Jaken squawked at him, angered,

"Do you dare, imposter, to think that the great Lord Sesshomaru would allow a lesser demon such as you, one that would need the assistance of a weak miko, to kill his ward? You are delirious!"

"Delirious, am I?" Kagome raised up a hand, her hand glowing.

"The son of the Great Lord Hyoga is never delirious when it comes to puppets."

Something seemed to click within Sesshomaru's mind. _Hyoga…that was father's enemy a little over 200 years ago – that means that the useless vermin using the miko is…_

"Menomaru; all ready awaken from your prison? Took you much longer than I anticipated." Kagome turned towards him, not noticing Jaken letting out a long sigh of relief as she did so.

"So, you figured it out. But if it hadn't been for the younger brother, I would be before you rather than this miko. Try four to five years earlier." Kagome inside herself, bowed her head, her tired shoulders slumped over as Menomaru took an iron fist control of her body…_Once again…_She thought sourly at that passing thought.

"You met InuYasha?" Kagome snorted at him,

"I had to in order to break the seal, didn't I? After all, the fang of destruction is the only way to unseal my father's curse that your family set upon us." Sesshomaru smirked at him,

"And yet, with your enormous power, InuYasha was still able to defeat you."

"No, not defeat me…suppressed me would be a better word to describe the hell hole he and his miko bitch had enslaved me in, much like that of my father's power…contained. But there are a few good side effects of being imprisoned – I can create as much chaos as I want, and yet no one can be able to stop me as I use my precious puppet."

"And yet you use a ningen miko, InuYasha's miko at that." Kagome smirked at him as she settled herself against a tree.

"InuYasha's ONCE miko, that is." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at him,

"Explain yourself, Menomaru."

"It's exactly as it sounds, but I guess Kagome didn't have the nerve, as always, to tell you of what occurred after InuYasha and herself enslaved me like father. Tell me, can't you smell it yet? Can't you tell why InuYasha is not here at this moment fighting at you, rather than the miko? Can you tell why she is all alone without her companions?"

Sesshomaru took a deep sniff at her like Menomaru told him to, not really wanting to take any orders from him, but he needed to know. There were so many questions unanswered and a Taiyoukai without answers is an unhappy Taiyoukai. The moment he took a deep breath, his head felt dizzy. There were so many blood types to sort out, all of them layered over and over another like blankets. There were many different types of youkai imaginable on her body – he wondered how much she had killed, she could have somehow rival his 884 years since he was sixteen and able to kill. But not a second longer did it hit him, the familiar blood that hit his nose like a bat swinging at him. Snapping his eyes towards Kagome's leaning and smirking figure, his eyes an almost uncontrollable ruby red.

"You killed InuYasha." He stated with a deadly growl. Menomaru faked innocence,

"My apologies, was he yours to kill? If you are upset, revive him with your Tenseiga…that is, if you can find his body anyway." Kagome let out a bark of laughter that made all of their skin crawl. Inner Kagome clamped her hands over her ears in vain attempt to get rid of the sound, her eyes clenching tightly and her teeth gritting against another.

"INUYASHA WAS MINE TO KILL!" Sesshomaru roared as he charged at the lithe form of Kagome. Kagome smirked and maneuvered from Sesshomaru's hasty and erratic attacks with ease – Sesshomaru's blind rage taking over and messing up his form; his movements no longer planned out and strategic, but rather hotheaded and ungraceful.

"Is that all the best you've got, Sesshomaru? I am clearly disappointed. I am though, highly pleased with my puppet's body, don't you agree? Quite agile and flexible she is for a miko who does not know the knowledge to fight for herself other than her bow and arrows. She can even take down the son of my father's greatest enemy, how fitting."

"SILENCE!" Sesshomaru swiped at her face, only to have Kagome duck just in time. She smirked up at him with her crimson eyes that failed into comparison with Sesshomaru's righteous fury.

"As much as I would love to kill you Sesshomaru, you aren't the one I'm after tonight, maybe some other time when I'm in the mood to play around."

Kagome gathered a great amount of light blue power in her cupped hands and pooling it into her left clenched hand, Kagome let out a powerful punch. Sesshomaru grunted as he flew to the side. Kagome though, didn't look back at him and disappeared in a flash to only appear in front of Jaken not a second longer, causing the gami youkai to let out a surprise shout. Rin cried out as Kagome simply smirked down at the toad and sent him flying much like Sesshomaru, but only in a different direction,

"JAKEN-SAMA! AH!" Rin looked back at Kagome to find her in front of her now; the rain seemed as if to pound harder at the two. Menomaru peered down at her and smirked,

"It was a pleasure to meet Sesshomaru's ward; it is truly amazing how dog demons can be attracted to humans – it's disgusting. But don't worry little one." Kagome paused as she watched Rin clumsily fall down on her bottom and crawl backwards until her back unfortunately bumped against the rough bark of a tree. Her eyes grew wider, causing Menomaru to relish in the scent of her fear, much like Sesshomaru had done to Kagome not too long ago.

"I'll make sure you'll see your precious Lord Sesshomaru and Jaken at another time."

Rin stared up into her red eyes as if hypnotized as she screamed when Kagome raised her right hand up, her finger tips glowing sharply with the bright yellow energy,

"SESSHOMARU-SAMA! HELP ME!"

Sesshomaru grunted as he willed himself to a stop after much trees suffered the fate of being torn down. He glanced up hurriedly, his blood pumping fast as Rin's screams reached his ears,

"SESSHOMARU-SAMA! HELP ME!"

He immediately started running back to the small clearing,

"RIN, GET OUT OF THE WAY!" He roared as he came too late, Kagome's hand already striking at her. Jaken was hobbling towards the girl,

"RIN, DUCK!" But it was as if Rin didn't hear their commands as she stared in horrified rapture as Kagome let her hand fly. Her life seemed to flash before her eyes from the time she was together with her parents, the moment of their deaths, being beaten by the village folk that she lived with, meeting Sesshomaru, getting killed, being brought back to life, meeting Jaken, meeting Kagome and her group, and the times of Sesshomaru fighting Naraku and Sounga.

Inner Kagome's head snapped up, her eyes glowed a bright pink as silver trails of tears coursed down her face.

_RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

…

…

…

Rin let out a gasp, blood splattering on her face and her kimono, her eyes wide in horror.

"K-Kagome…nee-chan…"

Kagome's red eyes flickered back and forth to brown and back to red continuously as she grimaced.

"R…Rin…"

Sesshomaru stopped and skidded on his feet to watch with surprise and shockingly…a small amount of respect as five long, glowing and bright yellow beams stuck out through her back. Long and thick rivulets of blood seeped down her abdomen and her back.

"**HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY ME? KILL HER NOW!"**

Kagome gave out a strangled cry as her eyes bled red once again. Her left hand was rising with forceful strength, but before Menomaru could control her hand to strike at the young girl before her again to attempt murder, hopeful for a second chance – Kagome immediately launched it at the trunk, the space above Rin's head causing pieces of wood to fly everywhere. Rin gave a gasp as she shrunk even more to the ground, even though her feet met hot blood.

Rin looked up at her, her eyes holding great sympathy.

"Kagome-nee-chan…Let me help you." Rin raised her hands towards her, ignoring Jaken's calls to get away from her. Kagome spared her a glance through half-clenched eyes and whispered,

"I'm sorry." She took off before Rin could say anything.

"KAGOME-NEE-CHAN!" Rin screamed out in desperation, but Kagome didn't pay attention to her and kept on running in the opposite direction. Rin turned tearfully towards the stoic lord,

"S-Sesshomaru-sama? What is happening to Kagome-nee-chan?" Sesshomaru walked towards her and helped her up before stoically turning to the direction Kagome's freshly-spilt blood indicated. He stared after her for a few moments, debating on what to do with the situation. _With Menomaru able to control Kagome, and with her powers, Menomaru is dangerous to all of the Four Lands and to the ningen, youkai, and half-breed race. _

"She is experiencing hell first hand, Rin. Now come, we must return to the castle." Rin though, stayed root to her spot. Sesshomaru looked back at her, his eyes giving a warning look, but Rin, though, let the tears fall and she said, her voice meek and desperate,

"We aren't going to help her; even after all she's done for us when we needed it?" He looked at her for a moment before he continued to walk towards their campsite.

"There is nothing we can do for her, Rin. Now come." Rin hesitated as she stared into the direction Kagome ran to. Tears building in her eyes, she looked behind her to the tree where Kagome had pinpointed her to. Walking forward while trembling, she placed a hand over the enlarged hole that Kagome created. Sniffling, she tried to rub the tears from her eyes. _Even when you are under control, Kagome-nee-chan, you still protected me from harm, just like Sesshomaru-sama. _

"Rin." Rin looked to her right to find Jaken looking at her with a stern look. After a few moments, the gami gave a sigh and said to ease the child's nerves as he somehow was able to direct her after Sesshomaru,

"Understand this child, if Lord Sesshomaru could, he would repay his debt he is being held over by the miko. The problem is, we don't even know where Menomaru is being held captive, the only one to tell us would be InuYasha, but he's dead; the wench, but she is too dangerous to be near; and then there is the rest of the group, but again, we do not even know where they reside, Rin. You saw what happened back there, the miko had to gather all of her energy and will power in order to redirect both blows that were meant to end your life; and for that, Sesshomaru, you, and I should be thankful for, for she has once again helped us in her own way. This, Rin, is something we cannot divulge ourselves into head first just because we have a debt to repay for the help of Sounga. If we do, we will be killed. I am afraid to say that even though Lord Sesshomaru is the greatest Taiyoukai in the Four Cardinal Lands, but even he will have a challenge when it will come to the miko's untrained powers."

Rin bit her lip and slowly nodded.

"Hai, Jaken-sama."

_Oh Kagome-nee-chan, why out of all people does this have to happen to you?_

-

Kagome grunted and groaned as she continued to run through the forest towards the South, her breathing labored as the pelting rain beat against her sore skin. Wincing, Kagome slumped down against a tree out of the rain thanks to the canopy above her.

"That…that was too close…"

Wheezing, she looked down and grimaced to find her hand still impelled into her mid-stomach. Closing her eyes tightly, she wrenched it out; her scream echoed for miles. Slumping forward, she groaned and moaned loudly at the pain that seemed to engulf her as fresh blood started to pour again from the rough treatment.

Looking at her raw, bloody, and blistered hand…she somehow managed to let out a giggle before it turned into joyous laughter like earlier. Through her happy tears she stared at her fist, her smile matched the one she used to smile four to five years ago.

This was a message…The memory flashed through her eyes like a film as she remembered the past events unfold before her eyes. Her smile widened.

She had been able to redirect not one…but TWO attacks…

She had actually done it…

Glancing up, she clasped her bloody hands together in a prayer-form, tears still gliding down through her gently closed eyes.

"Thank you…" She whispered. "Thank you, God for answering my prayer…"

She had never been as happy as she was at this moment for four to five years…

Maybe there was a little hope left.

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THANK YOU REVIEWERS! Thanks you guys, I loved the reviews! Please keep them coming! Hope you liked the chapter!

-Miss Artemis


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